Crouching Dragon, Hidden Bat
by Caspian3
Summary: A new hero patrols the streets of Gotham, and has asked for the aid of the City's most notorious defender, the Batman.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is property of Takahashi Rumiko and Vis. Batman is property of DC Comics. No insult was meant by the creation of this fanfiction - quite the opposite.  
  
For those who know the Ranma universe: This is set after the Saffron arc and the Failed Wedding. Shortly after the failed wedding, Ranma went missing. No note, no goodbyes. He just took his meager belongings and vanished.  
  
Ranma 1/2: Crouching Dragon, Hidden Bat  
  
She blew out the yawn she took in a second ago and looked around. The rooftops of Gotham were bleak and cold, and she was tired of waiting. However, she also knew that it was the little girl's only real hope.  
  
She paced back and forth across the rooftop, the black silk of her pants and cloak making only the barest of whispers. Likewise, the black silk Chinese top she wore helped silence her impatient fiddling with her carnelian-colored braid of hair as the sleeves made only the near noiseless sound of silk against silk. Looking cross-eyed for a moment, she checked the readout hidden within the visor of the Dragon Mask she wore. 0404 – an inauspicious time. She turned to examine the spotlight she had rigged with the bat silhouette and almost jumped.  
  
"I was wondering how long it would take you to notice me" A dark, gravelly voice came from the shadows as the man it belonged to stepped forward. The black of his cape and dark grey of his body armor kept most of his features swallowed in the darkness. Even the black cowl and bat sigil on his chest only seemed to enhance his ability to hide in the shadows.  
  
The Batman  
  
"I would have noticed you if I wasn't already preoccupied" the girl replied arrogantly, her Japanese accent thick but clear. Then a touch of awe entered her voice "But I have to admit that I've only met one other person as skilled at cloaking their presence and quieting their ki."  
  
"Get to the point." Batman barked.  
  
With a slow and deliberate motion the girl drew a folder from behind the tabard she wore over her outfit. By the stiff way the red dragon sigil on her chest moved, it was obvious that the tabard was armored. Tossing the folder to him, the girl began.  
  
"Four hours ago someone broke into the Japanese Consulate in little Tokyo and kidnapped the girl. She is the daughter of the Japanese Ambassador. I collected what evidence I could, but it doesn't make sense to me."  
  
"Why not take this to the police?" Batman inquired.  
  
"Two reasons" she replied "One, this needs to be handled with a delicacy and discretion that the Gotham Police Department unfortunately lacks. Secondly, we don't have the time. The girl needs regular shots every day to prevent a degenerative disease from killing her. We have until 1900 hours to get her back and give her the injection."  
  
"I'll get right on it." He said to her after opening the folder. The notes were all typed, but in Japanese. There were also several pages of digital photographs as well as a CD labeled with the date.  
  
"One thing, Dark Knight-san." The girl replied yet again "I wish to assist you in this. I have done what I can, but I am not the best detective in the world. You are known as the greatest detective ever. I could do far worse a sensei. Besides, the girl is … important to me."  
  
Batman narrowed his eyes behind the cowl before speaking "I already have a partner. I don't need to baby-sit someone…" he stopped in mid-speech. The girl, who had a second ago been pacing away, had simply appeared before him. No flash, no theatrics. She simply was inches before his face, a fist cocked back to strike. He knew superior speed when he saw it, but what really stopped him was her Ki. The fist that was aimed at him literally burned with a corona of energy. Even with his body armor, if that connected he'd feel it. He had never met anyone with that level of control. "Who are you, and what's this really about?" he asked the dragon mask before his face.  
  
"I'll tell you on the way. I'm sure you want to check out the crime scene yourself, ne?" She replied back.  
  
With a nod, he turned and fired a grapple out and began swinging from rooftop to rooftop on his way into Gotham's Little Tokyo. Surprising him, however was the fact that the girl followed him, making incredible leaps even he could not make, literally jumping from rooftop to rooftop in most cases. When a rooftop was too far away for one of her super jumps, a chain with a grappling hook at the end would lash out from the depths of her sleeve to assist her, only to vanish again from once it came.  
  
Stopping on one rooftop to get their bearings and change direction, the redhead spoke up. "This would work better if you have a radio so you can hear me."  
  
Batman tapped his left ear and simply said "Cellular Band 23".  
  
With a nod the pair were again streaking across the nighttime skyline. The girl spoke up then. "I call myself the Scarlet Dragon now. As to what this is about – The wife of the Japanese Ambassador was involved in many different businesses back in Japan. She is a power by herself. She is also a very old friend of mine, and has asked for my assistance in this matter. There are a number of people who would want to hurt her, and more who would stoop at nothing to use the child to gain some favor from the Ambassador. She knew also that I would have the best chance of finding and contacting you."  
  
"What if I refused?" Batman replied "sounds like this is an internal matter to me."  
  
"I did not think that a possibility. You are the Dark Knight, you protect the weak, same as me." the Scarlet Dragon replied. "As to it being an internal matter, I know of no-one who would do things like this person has done."  
  
Finally, they landed just within the fence surrounding the compound. Immediately, several guards turn and point machineguns at the two intruders. The Scarlet Dragon raises her hand , and upon noticing who they are aiming at, lower their weapons. The two march forward into the building itself. Inside, a functionary falls into place beside the duo.  
  
"Mrs. Hanayoshi wants to speak to you immediately, Shinku-ryuu-sama. She is most distressed" the thin man said as he adjusted his glasses. "She says to tell you that she will hold you personally responsible if her daughter comes to any harm."  
  
With that, the Scarlet Dragon stops and turns to the man "Tell her that I do not report to her, and that she can claim all she wants. We will find the person responsible and bring them to justice. Now if you excuse me, I have a job to do." With that, a faint blue glow begins to surround her, and what appear to be blue flames spring into being around her fists. For a few seconds the blank eyeholes of the dragon mask stare into the face of the functionary, before he finally bows and backs off, practically running to tell his daimyo what has occurred. Turning to her companion, she speaks softly. "My apologies, Dark knight-san. My associate is very worried and used to being on top of every situation." She chuckles, dark and low "If an innocent life were not in the balance I would not even bother. She needs the lesson in humility."  
  
"You have interesting allies. Nabiki Hanayoshi-Tendo is not one to cross lightly." Batman replies quietly "And if it wasn't that the child is relatively innocent, I would not be involved. She has all but made herself into a Yakuza boss in the past. I've often felt it was only a matter of time."  
  
"Which she no longer has, Dark Knight-san. With the birth of her daughter Nabs had to back off of many of her projects. She wants to be a good mother. She has learned quickly that her activites attracted the wrong kind of attention. This is why we must help her. If she loses Kimiko, she may regress to her previous life as the Ice Queen of Tokyo." Entering then a room which had two guards outside it, the Scarlet Dragon gestured. "here we are, Dark-knight-san. The Scene of the crime."  
  
Batman looked around as he entered the nursery, taking in details. The glass of the window had been broken outwards, meaning that the intruder was already inside when it happened. The bars over the window had been eaten away by acid. And propped in a corner, the first guard to catch the thief.  
  
Staring out with glassy eyes, his mouth was caught in a permanent rictus of a smile.  
  
"Joker" the Batman said quietly.  
  
The Scarlet Dragon tilted her head at his utterance "who or what is Jokeru, Dark-knight-san?"  
  
"The Joker is a criminal mastermind. He's also criminally insane. His trademark is jokes and puns – often with a lethal punchline. However, there's something missing here. Usually he leaves some sort of calling card. A jack in the box holding a pun and often some smilex gas, or a note with a joke of some sort on it."  
  
As Batman spoke he searched the room. Meanwhile, it looked like the Scarlet Dragon just stood there, looking about the room. However, the eyes of her dragon mask glowed faintly. Finally she stopped, looking at the crib. "Under the crib is a small box shape. I mistook it for one of her toys, but it might be the jack in the box device you were speaking of."  
  
Carefully, Batman retrieved the jack in the box. There, atop the clown's body, was a more familiar visage to Gothamites – that of the Joker. In the hands of the clown was a small note.  
  
"Bring 1,000,000,000 yen to the Docks by 1200 or the Child swims with the fishies! –J–"  
  
"Excellent. Now, the question is, how did he get in?" Batman spoke aloud.  
  
The Scarlet Dragon carefully approached and bent near the box. A faint glow came from her eyes as she studied the vicious toy, then she got up and slowly paced the room. "This way, Dark Knight-san. His ki still lingers."  
  
With care, the Scarlet Dragon walked through the compound, until they reached the kitchen. There, the trail led the Scarlet Dragon right to the large walk-in fridge. Carefully opening the door, she was suddenly knocked backwards several feet as a jet of boiling water and steam erupted from a nozzle that had been set up in the Refrigerator. Batman immediately moved to check on his new 'pupil' when he stopped and looked closely at the Scarlet Dragon.  
  
Lying in a puddle with severe second degree burns, the water had had other effects as well. Where once the Scarlet Dragon was a slim and buxom female with red hair there now lay a different figure. The being was flat-chested and muscular, the black silk shirt taunt against the muscles of the arms showing each and every definition. Along with the sudden change in gender, there was a perceptible increase of mass, as well as a change of hair color from carnelian red to midnight black. As he slowly got up, a blue glow encompassed the exposed flesh and the burns reduced and healed as the Batman watched. "Sorry about this. I should have checked for another trap."  
  
"You have a lot to explain" Batman said. "But not now. Looks like he must have posed as a delivery person. Take a look" he gestured towards the fridge. Inside, the body of the cook could be seen, half his face melted off with acid, and a delivery tag fastened to his neck.  
  
The now male Scarlet Dragon read the tag slowly, then folded his arms and growled quietly. "this Jokeru needs new jokes. That was … how you say … kokoronai?" He said the last in Japanese.  
  
"tasteless." Batman said "and yes. That's part of his trademark."  
  
On the tag, written in crayon was the phrase 'One gross, can whu-pas'. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is property of Takahashi Rumiko and Vis. Batman is property of DC Comics. No insult was meant by the creation of this fanfiction - quite the opposite. 

Ranma 1/2: Crouching Dragon, Hidden Bat

* * *

Chapter 2

The batmobile sped along the highways and backallys at a high speed. Inside, the Batman gauged each turn and his speed with care as he raced through the City of Gotham.

Beside him, rather than his intrepid companion Robin, sat a red haired girl dressed in black silk, with a sigil of a Dragon in scarlet on the tabard she wore. A dragon mask lay in her lap, and a blindfold over her eyes. What could be seen of her face was quite green. The Batman glanced at her and thought back to a little earlier.

Batman watched in fascination as the young woman who was calling herself 'Scarlet Dragon' was sprayed down by a hidden hot water trap left by the Joker. For anyone else, the trap would have resulted in horrible, even life-threatening, burns. But instead the young woman transformed into a muscular, black haired young man, and with only second-degree burns. With a faint blue glow, those too started to erase themselves from the young man's body, healing far faster than any wound had right too. "Sorry about this. I should have checked for another trap."

"You have a lot to explain" Batman said. "But not now. Looks like he must have posed as a delivery person. Take a look" he gestured towards the fridge. Inside, the body of the cook could be seen, half his face melted off with acid, and a delivery tag fastened to his neck.

The now male Scarlet Dragon read the tag slowly, then folded his arms and growled quietly. "this Jokeru needs new jokes. That was ... how you say ... kokoronai?" He said the last in Japanese.

"Tasteless." Batman said "and yes. That's part of his trademark."

On the tag, written in crayon was the phrase 'One gross, can whu-pas'.

With a shake of his head, the male Scarlet Dragon went over to the sink and turned on the cold-water tap. Then he splashed himself. The change was almost instantaneous. Where there was standing a highly muscled male with black hair, now there was a buxom redhead in his place.

"We have to go back to the Batcave to process this data. I take it that simply blindfolding you would not stop you from being able to find it again." Batman growled towards the shapechanging person before him.

"No. I have an excellent sense of direction." she replied.

"Very well. I can drug you or you can remain here and I will contact you" He offered, already knowing the answer.

"I can't exactly learn from you if I don't go with you. I guess I have no choice. I'll let you drug me. "

Once they had gotten off the property of the Embassy, the Batmobile pulled up on autopilot and sat rumbling. Batman climbed in carefully and was amazed to watch the girl leap clear over the car from a standing start beside it. As she got in and secured the door, she then removed the dragon mask she wore. Beneath that, she still wore a domino mask that helped conceal her identity even without the dragon mask. The inside of the mask caught the Batman's attention. Wayne Enterprises manufactured most of the components. If the material of the mask was in fact steel like he thought, then the mask alone would weigh in excess of 20 pounds.

Carefully reaching over, he blindfolded the girl then drew an autohypo from a kit in the dashboard. Loading a charge he looked her over. "how much do you weigh?"

"Just under 300 kilos in this form. But double the dose. I metabolize drugs fast." she responded again.

He nodded and injected the concoction into her bare arm. The effect was almost instantaneous as the drug sped through the young martial artist's blood stream.

"whoa. That stuff hits hard. erk." she said groggily. "Hope you have a sick bag, just in case."

Batman smirked then and the batmobile sped off into the night.

The vehicle slowed as it entered the Batcave, finally coming to a halt on the large rotating platform that served as its garage. As the platform spun around, Batman reached over and undid the blindfold from the Scarlet Dragon's eyes.

"it's ok if I cure myself now, yes?" she asked in Japanese without really looking up.

"if you can. I usually have to provide the antidote. It is a rather potent solution" Batman responded.

The Scarlet Dragon merely nodded once slowly and her eyes glowed blue for a moment. The green faded from her skin and she straitened up in her seat, before donning the dragon mask in her lap once more. As the duo climbed from the Batmobile, a voice called out through the darkness.

"Hey! who's the extra stray you brought home this time?" a cocky voice cut through the darkness.

"A new hero it seems. Scarlet Dragon, meet Nightwing." Batman said

With that Nightwing went to step out of the darkness behind the Scarlet Dragon to surprise her, but she simply turned and bowed to Nightwing first. "A pressure to meet you, Nighto wingo-sama" she said, her voice a touch softer than what she was using earlier.

Then suddenly from behind her came another voice. "Master Batman, Commissioner Gordon is on the line for you. Something to do with a crime at the Japanese consulate."

With an "EEP" The scarlet dragon leapt straight up - and grabbed onto the stalactites covering the ceiling of the batcave.

"Jumpy, isn't she?" Nightwing commented to his one time mentor.

Batman just brooded and headed towards the computer. Picking up the phone he spoke quietly but succinctly. "Hello Commissioner"

"Batman, what's this I hear about a crime at the Japanese Consulate that isn't being filed with the police?

My people claimed to see you and some other costumed person leaving the grounds. But the embassy won't even talk to me."

"Commissioner. They are foreign diplomats. Any police investigation would involve the media, which is exactly what they are trying to prevent. Also, Commissioner, Joker is back."

"What!!!! Damn. I'd hoped that we'd seen the last of that nut job."

"Unfortunately, it seems we haven't. I'll contact you as soon as we have a lead." The Bat said as he hung up the phone. Sitting down then, he began the task of feeding the information Scarlet Dragon provided into his system. It was a simple task, the Scarlet Dragon having taken excellent photographs. The only problem was when he got to the notes that she had written. The spelling was atrocious, obviously the work of someone for whom English was not a primary language.

"Scarlet Dragon, you will have to read your notes to Me." he called out.

Slowly the Scarlet Dragon let go of the stalactite and fell to the floor. Landing as if she had never jumped she crossed over the bridge to where the Dark Knight was working and took up the folder. As she read off the data to him, Nightwing walked up behind the pair to look over the girl's shoulder. It wasn't difficult to do, as he had a height advantage, but he did so slowly for the moment he approached, she tensed.

As the Scarlet Dragon read off her notes to the Batman, he busied himself with other chores. In truth, the Batcomputer had one of the Best voice recognition software, and was entering what the girl was reading as she read it. He however, was searching for something else. Sex changing martial artist. He remembered seeing something about that...

As the Scarlet Dragon finished reading off her notes, she looked up. Batman was standing there with his arms crossed, Nightwing still standing behind her. She noted immediately the tension in the room. "There is a problem?" she asked, her Japanese accent coming through strong in the silence.

"There might be, Saotome Ranma. Especially if you can't explain why you're wanted for murder in China and Japan."


End file.
